Participating in extreme sports does not impact longevity

The first 200 athletes to run a mile in under 4 minutes have defied the popular belief that extreme exercise may shorten life expectancy. According to a study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, these elite athletes actually outlived the general population by nearly five years on average.

Led by senior researcher Mark Haykowsky from the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada, the study looked at the lifespan of the first 200 athletes to break the 4-minute mile barrier. Spanning from 1954 to 1974 and coming from 28 countries, these athletes were born between 1928 and 1955 and were around 23 years old on average when they achieved this milestone.

Surprisingly, the athletes who broke the 4-minute mile in the 1950s lived an average of nine years longer than the general population, while those in the 1960s lived five and a half years longer, and those in the 1970s lived nearly three years longer. This longevity advantage may be attributed to the benefits of endurance exercise on health, as well as healthy lifestyle choices and genetics.

The study challenges the notion that extreme endurance exercise could be detrimental to longevity, highlighting the importance of regular physical activity even at elite performance levels. With advancements in diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of diseases, the overall increase in life expectancy for everyone may also contribute to the longer lifespan of these elite athletes.